I wasn’t sure what to expect from Viva La Vida. Didn’t really care for the previous Coldplay album too much — too bland, too predictable, too Coldplay-by-numbers. But I was glad to see them choose Brian Eno to produce this one, and hopeful he’d steer them on a new course.
He did. I’m a big fan of Viva La Vida. Here’s why:
1.) After seven listens, there’s not a song I dislike and many that I love. “Lovers In Japan / Reign of Love” is terrific, as is “42” and “Death and All His Friends.” Those are the current faves.
2.) It sounds new, different, adventurous. They have a new lease on life. It’s not a hugely dramatic change in their sound, but it opens up some new directions for them. That’s a Good Thing.
3.) It’s not over-produced like X&Y was.
4.) It starts with an instrumental. Seriously, how many rock albums even have an instrumental these days? How many start the album with one?
5.) There’s a medley in the middle. Again, not a common thing on today’s rock albums.
6.) There are three songs over six minutes long. The last track is technically supposed to include a “hidden song”, but the hidden song begins almost immediately after the actual track ends, so it plays like a a single, long song.
7.) The song order is perfect. They did a marvelous job putting together the track list. Each song flows perfectly into the next. It makes this feel like a real album, not just a collection of random songs.
That’s it. Seven reasons I love the new Coldplay CD.
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It is pretty good stuff… Have tickets to see them in DC as well. The show was supposed to be last week until everything got delayed. (boy, they REALLY do want to be like U2 don’t they?)
Turns out, the new concert date is August 3rd… perfect event to travel to DC after the wedding- have a nice dinner, see the show!